Volvo Trucks changes to BASF CathoGuard® 800

Umeå/Muenster. In its worldwide truck & bus production, Volvo switches from CathoGuard® 500 e-coat to the new CathoGuard® 800 generation. CathoGuard 800 is an environmentally friendly cathodic e-coat from BASF.

The product contains less than one percent solvents, is tin-free, and also provides outstanding coverage and corrosion protection for the car body’s cavities that are difficult to reach. “Volvo was impressed by our 800 series. We worked together to optimize the technology for Volvo’s requirements,” said Monika Pander, head of Truck & Bus Europe at BASF Coatings. “The next step is implementation.”

Volvo is starting the gradual changeover to the new product in Umeå. E-coat has been supplied to the plant in Sweden, which produces truck cabs, for over 30 years. Volvo Trucks was one of BASF’s first customers for cathodic e-coat. The collaboration between Volvo and BASF has blossomed into a trusting partnership, and the technology has been continuously enhanced. Cathodic e-coating is an electro-chemical coating process in which the car body is completely immersed into the conductive coating material. The paint particles are deposited onto the steel panels with the aid of electric current.

BASF Coatings covers the entire product and service portfolio for high-quality refinishing of buses and trucks – ranging from corrosion protection to basecoats, which provide the color, as well as glossy clearcoats.

About BASF Coatings

BASF Coatings develops, produces and markets a high-quality range of innovative automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints. BASF has significant market positions in the Coatings sector in Europe, North America, South America and the Asia Pacific region. In 2011 BASF Coatings achieved global sales of 2.8 billion Euros. The internet address of BASF Coatings is www.basf-coatings.com . You can download a copy of BASF customer magazine Coatings Partner from www.coatingspartner.com

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. Through science and innovation we enable our customers in almost all industries to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and system solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring healthy food and nutrition and helping to improve the quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF posted sales of about €73.5 billion in 2011 and had more than 111 ,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com